The Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers every known as the Los Angeles Lakers to make a commerce supply for LeBron James, in keeping with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Each the Lakers and James have been tired of a possible commerce and have been dedicated to stay collectively via the season.
In accordance with Woj, commerce conversations came about on the possession stage, with Warriors proprietor Joe Lacob calling Lakers proprietor Jeanie Buss to gauge curiosity in a possible James deal. Buss directed the Warriors to James’ agent Wealthy Paul, who reaffirmed LeBron’s dedication to the Lakers.
The Sixers reportedly known as on a possible James commerce after his hourglass emoji social media publish. These talks went nowhere. Woj studies Sixers president Daryl Morey additionally made affords to the Phoenix Suns for Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal that went nowhere.
The Warriors and Lakers performed one another within the second spherical of the 2023 NBA Playoffs, with the Lakers advancing in six video games. If the season ended at present, the Lakers and Warriors would face-off within the 9-10 play-in sport, with the loser’s season being instantly over.
James is 39 years previous, however he’s nonetheless enjoying at a excessive stage. It’s been years since he’s been one of the best participant within the league, however trusted all-in-one superior metric Estimated Plus-Minus nonetheless grades out James as a top-10 participant within the league.
The commerce overtures for James are notably fascinating this yr for 2 causes:
- He has a participant choice after the season and may develop into an unrestricted free agent in the summertime of 2024
- His son Bronny James may probably enter the 2024 NBA Draft
The elder James has lengthy said his want to play with Bronny earlier than his profession is over. Would a staff use a draft choose on James Jr. this yr as a method to lure his all-time nice father away from the Lakers?
It’s doable. Longtime NBA insider Marc Stein talked about the chance of groups drafting Bronny with an eye fixed on touchdown LeBron in a Substack dispatch earlier this week:
I do know of no less than two groups on the NBA map that consider LeBron James would contemplate signing with them at far lower than $51.4 million if Bronny James is on the roster. There is perhaps extra.
Are these groups the Warriors and Sixers? It’s doable. Throw the New York Knicks in there too — who James lately mentioned he has fantasized about enjoying for — and we actually have a celebration.
Drafting Bronny James within the first spherical can be a daring transfer as a result of he has not performed like a primary rounder this yr at USC. That shouldn’t be shock after James Jr. had a terrifying cardiac arrest episode throughout an early season scrimmage that triggered James Jr. to overlook precious observe time and pushed again his school debut till by a month.
I’ve grinded the tape on Bronny earlier than and nonetheless consider he’s a primary spherical caliber prospect regardless of a gradual begin to this season. USC is an absolute catastrophe this yr — they’re 9-15 total and 3-10 in convention play — there’s loads of blame to go round for that earlier than any of it displays on Bronny.
So: ought to a staff draft LeBron Jr. to attempt to land LeBron Sr.? It’s an interesting thought on a number of ranges. For one, the 2024 NBA Draft class isn’t superb. I’ve been fortunate sufficient to cowl the draft right here for greater than a decade, and that is the weakest class I’ve seen since 2013. Sure, notorious bust Anthony Bennett was the primary choose in 2013, however don’t neglect that class additionally had future Corridor of Fame inductees Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert exterior the lottery. Even in a weak class, there can at all times be nice gamers lurking.
The Warriors shouldn’t have a choose within the 2024 draft due to trades made way back. The Lakers don’t choose till No. 57. Only for enjoyable, listed here are a number of different groups that may contemplate Bronny if they’ll land LeBron:
- The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder would presently choose No. 10 and No. 11 total.
- The Knicks choose at No. 19 and No. 23
- The 76ers choose at No. 22
All three of these groups would instantly be championship contenders in the event that they signal or purchase LeBron James. Getting Bronny James as a developmental prospect can be good, too, even when he’d presently be a “attain” within the first spherical. If drafting Bronny means getting a pair years of LeBron, it’s properly well worth the threat.
In fact, it’s doable LeBron Sr. would follow the Lakers subsequent season no matter the place his son will get drafted. James reportedly needs to end his profession with the Lakers, and the Lakers reportedly need him to retire with the staff.
The truth that we’re nonetheless speculating over LeBron James’ free company selections within the yr 2024 is maybe the final word testomony to his greatness. This man was drafted in 2003. His first dip into free company in the summertime of 2010 is the stuff of legend and continues to tell how gamers make their decisions at present. We’re not getting “The Choice Half 2” this summer season (or is Half 4?) but it surely’s not out of the realm of chance that James may depart the Lakers in the event that they lose within the play-in event and thus fail to make the playoffs.
One way or the other, all these years later, LeBron James nonetheless runs the NBA’s rumor cycle. That’s not going to vary till he lastly decides to hold it up.
